Jupiter great red spot

The Secrets of Jupiter’s Incredible Great Red Spot

Astronomers have worked out that Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a massive storm system, but what keeps a storm going for hundreds of years?
Crow illustration

Crows Are Even Smarter Than We Thought

If crows like the New Caledonian Crow can plan out and create a specialized tool, then they seem to have smarts that rival those of early humans. 
wildfires are getting worse

West Coast Infernos, Midday Mudslides, and the Little Cool Beans that Might Save the World

Wildfires and public health, predicting floods, and substituting beans for beef were top stories in environmental news this week.
Steak in bed

When You Eat Matters As Much As What You Eat

Trying to lose weight? A new study suggests that our bodies may react just as much to when we eat, as to what food we are consuming.
NYC movie theater air conditioning

Can We Live Without Air Conditioning?

Air conditioning is a profoundly paradoxical technology: the hotter it gets the more we use it, and the more we use it the hotter it gets.
Warning no swimming sign, Sandy beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Rip Currents: Hidden Danger of the Beach

Beating the heat at the beach? Be careful of rip currents, one of the greatest hazards to ocean ...
Comic illustration of a mother ignoring her child in favor of a smart phone

Yes, Smartphones Are Destroying a Generation, But Not of Kids

Why parents need to embrace our role as digital mentors: offering kids and teens ongoing support and guidance in how to use the internet appropriately.
Rosalind Franklin

Seven Beautiful Illustrations of Women Scientists You Should Know

When we talk about inspiring girls to study STEM, do we also consider how important it is to ...
Sunrise at Ahu Tongariki in Easter Island, Chile

What Really Happened to Easter Island?

Did Easter Island's inhabitants degrade their ecosystem to the point that the island could no longer support them? Or is there more to the story?
One antler deer skull in water

The Ecology of Death

In nature, death creates its own unique ecosystem. These carcass-based mini-ecosystems are extremely dynamic.